Sunken-ship signal buoy



Jan. 18, 1927. 1,615,108

$- V. CLYDE suNKEN SHIP SIGNAL BUOY Original Filed Jan. 9. 1925 F 16 I :4 Z I 5 22 55 w h 16 28 9 f: $50 5 11 amen! a hile/ 1,16

Patented Jan. 18, 1927.

UNETED STATES PA'lEN'l' @FFICE.

STEPHEN V. CLYDE, OF SOUTH BOUND BROOK, NEH JERSEY- SUNKEN-SHIP $IGNAL Buoy.

Application filed. January 9, 1925, Serial No. 1,337. Renewed August 25, 1926.

This invention relates to a device for indicating the position of sunken ships, the device comprising a buoyant member carried upon the deck or superstructure of the ship, and having attached thereto one end of a chain or cable whose other end is fixed to the ship.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel device of .this sort in which means are provided for regulating the paying out of the cable, and in which the buoyant member normally rests on a support above a drum on which the cable or chain is wound, this support being automatically swung to one side when the weight of the said buoyant member is removed therefrom.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Fig. l of the drawing is a side view of a ship showing my improved device mounted thereon.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the device alone.

Fig. 3 is a plan view, with the float shown in dot and dash lines, and the cable in cross section.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4ti of Fig. 2.

As here embodied my improved device comprises a drum that is supported by the bearing members 11 and has wound therearound a cable 12 that has one end fixed to the drum. The other end of this cable is attached to a float 14: that is here in the form of a hollow body of prolate spheroidal form. This float rests freely on a support in the form of an angular bracket. having a vertical arm 16 that is pivotally attached atits lower end as at 17 to a suitable fixed part, such as the foot of one of the bearing elements 11. Projecting horizontally from the upper end of this arm, over the drum 10, is a forked member 18 arranged to present three upwardly projecting claws that engage the sides of the float 1 The bracket 16, 18 is normally urged away from its normal position by means of a spring 20, that is (roiled around its hinge pintle which is attached as at 17 to a suitable part, such as the foot of one of the bearing elements 11, and one end of said spring 20 is attached to the foot of bearing element 11 as shown at- 36, the other end exerting pressure against pin 37 in bracket 16. Thisbracket is retained'in its normal position, against the action of the spring 20, by means of a detent arm 22 that is pivoted at one end as at 23 to and underneath the forked member 18, and whose other end bears on one of the circular heads of the drum 10, the arm 22 being retained in engagement with the said head by means of the float 14:, which latter bears on a hump 24 projected upward from the arm. Attached to the arm 22 is a spring 25 that acts to move the same upward when the float lifts from the support 18.

To regulate the speed at which the cable 12 unwinds from the drum 10 I may provide a governor comprising the weights 28 attached to springs 29 and adapted to move along a shaft 30 a disk 31 feathered as at 32 to said shaft, the disk moving into engagement with a brake shoe 33 when the speed rises above a certain point. The shaft 30 has fixed thereon a spur pinion 34 that meshes with a bevel gear 35 fixed to one end of the shaft 10' of the drum 10.

The device may be mounted on any desired part of the ship, preferably on the top deck or the superstructure. Should the ship sink, the float 14 will ride off the support- 18, and the latter will be thrown outwardly to one side by the spring 20 to prevent danger of the cable 14 being entangled therewith as it unwinds from the drum 10.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows 1. In combination with a ship, a float mounted on said ship, a drum mounted on said ship, a cable attached at one end to said ship and at its other end to said drum and being normally wound upon the latter, a support for said float normally positioned above the drum, and means whereby said float support is projected to one side of said drum when the float leaves the support.

2. In combination with a ship, a float mounted on said ship, a drum mounted on said ship, a cable attached at one end to said ship and at its other end to said drum and being normally wound upon the latter, a pivoted angular bracket presenting a vertical arm, and a forked horizontal arm upon which the float rests, said forked arm being normally projected above the drum, a spring engaged with said bracket to urge the same ice said ship, a cableattaohed at oneend, to said ship and at its other end to said drum and being normally. Wound upon the latter, a pivoted, angular bracket presenting; a; vertical arm and a. forked horizontal arm.- upon whieh floatrests, said? forkedv arm being normally projected above the d'ruln a1 spring engaged with said bracket to urge the same away from position With the said horizontal arm projecting oven the'd1a1n1, and a detent arm engaged by said float and acting to ret-ailr the said bracket in normal position, and a spring connected to said detent arm and urging the latter'aWay-from operative position.

In testimony whereof I have aiiixed my signature.

STEPHEN V. CLYDE. 

